Award-winning actress’ advice to mothers of children with special needs: Don’t give up

Yann Yann (left) and Devin Pan in “Lian”

The HBO Asia original series “Invisible Stories” is set to premiere today with an episode starring popular Malaysian actress Yeo Yann Yann.

In the pilot episode, the actress plays a single parent who’s raising an autistic son—a role she initially turned down when it was offered to her by director Ler Jiyuan. She revealed during a press conference in Singapore last year that she found her role as Lian “too emotional and intense.” “I was trying to avoid something that was too heavy. I was scared (in the beginning), because once you are already in character, you have to dig deeper [into] the pain,” said the 42-year old actress.

But after studying and reflecting on the script, she eventually accepted it. “Lian’s story is too painful, but it needs to be told. Many people don’t understand why children with autism behave in certain ways. Through this [particular] episode, people will understand [them better],” she said.

The actress mentioned that her inspiration for accepting the challenging role was her favorite Hollywood actor, Meryl Streep, who gives “voice to the unheard” through the characters she portrays onscreen.

Yann Yann is known for her star turn in the film “Singapore Dreaming” and the family drama “Iloilo,” which won her the best actress award at the Asia Pacific Film Festival.

Malaysian actress Yeo Yann Yann

She has also worked in theater, and has gained numerous citations.

During the interview, Yann Yann showed real injuries—bruises and small cuts—inflicted by fingernails and teeth. She said she got them during a “meltdown” scene with her coactor in the episode, Devin Pan, who plays her son in the series. In preparing for the role, she talked to parents of autistic kids to understand how they behave in specific situations.

“Advisers sat with us and taught us the right words to use: stop, quiet, sit down, don’t, can’t. Devin’s character in the series is what they call ‘low functional.’ He can’t express himself through language, so most of the time, it’s his mom who does the talking for him,” Yann Yann said. “We didn’t want to overexaggerate it.”After giving life to her character onscreen, Yann Yann has this advice to mothers of children with special needs: “A mother’s love is the greatest. You’ll do anything for your child. Don’t give up. People may not understand how they behave, so there are shows like ‘Invisible Stories’ to help people understand them better and [promote] acceptance.”

The six-episode drama series showcases the diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds of people living in Singapore.

The pilot episode, “Lian,” premieres today on HBO and HBO Go.

From left: director Ler Jiyuan, Yann Yann and Pan